In the past, various separation devices have been fabricated for separation of one missile stage from another. However, these devices have not always been successful and practical in all missile systems or in a larger missile as required by applicants' invention. Various prior art separation devices are of the types taught in Lauritsen et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,458,475, Lightbody et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,745,347, Everett, U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,250, Adelman et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,945,442, Mitchum, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,895, Crockett, U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,952, Mayo, U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,047 and Carr, U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,925. Each of these patents disclose various arrangements for separating structures that are releasable one from the other. However, none of the prior art structures are suitable for applicants' purpose in which it is desired to have a tension attachment between two stages of a missile that can be easily adjusted and separated by a power attachment at a predetermined break away pressure due to the tension fitting having a necked down or weakened portion.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a one piece tension fitting that is easily mountable between rocket stages, adapted to be broken and adapted to guide the stages as they separate and allow the stages to separate when a predetermined amount of pressure has been applied to the tension fitting.
Another object of this invention is to provide a tension fitting that can be accurately mounted between the stages with simple adjusting means in installing the tension fitting.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a tension fitting in which lateral translation between the two stages is prevented during the initial movement of the stages away from each other.
A still further object of this invnetion is to provide a tension fitting which lends itself to the optimum combination of strength, lightweight and size.